Sunday, January 29, 2006

There have been high expectations for Marvin Williams since he helped the Tar Heels win a national championship last season and was then chosen as the second pick in the NBA draft. This season Williams averages 6.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game off the bench for the struggling Hawks, who lost to the Bulls at the United Center on Saturday night despite Joe Johnson’s 40 points. Williams showed flashes of brilliance, tallying a team-high in rebounds (10) and steals (3).

An hour and a half before tipoff in Chicago, Williams stepped out of the visiting locker room munching on a piece of fruit. I introduced myself and he stuck out his fist and apologized about his dirty hands. I told him I graduated from Carolina in 2004. Dressed in his Hawks warm-up uniform, he smiled and said, “Damn, I graduated from high school in ‘04.” We stood outside the entrance to the court and chatted about the life of a 19-year-old NBA player.

BG: I saw you last summer near Time-Out with a Hummer. Are you still driving around in it?

MW: No. I was test driving. It was something I was looking in to. It’s an all right car. I liked it, had it for a little over a month.

BG: What are you driving around now?

MW: I have a black Denali.

BG: How do you like living in Atlanta?

MW: I like Atlanta. Atlanta is a nice spot for me. It’s not too far from Carolina. I like it. It’s a nice city.

BG: How do you feel being so far from Washington and living on the East coast? Does your family still live in Washington?

MW: My dad lives in Atlanta, so it’s not bad. He moved there when I got drafted. So he’s there with me. Two of my roommates from back home live with me. But it’s not hard being away from my family anymore. It was tough when I first came to school, but that year was big for me, so it’s not tough anymore.

BG: What are your thoughts on being in the NBA and the NBA lifestyle?

MW: I like it. I mean, it’s kind of boring. There’s a lot of time, a lot of free time. But it’s fun. Night in and night out you’re competing against the best guys all over the United States. So it’s pretty fun.

BG: What do you like doing in your free time?

MW: I watch a lot of movies. I watch a lot of movies. I play pool a lot. That’s about it.

BG: What movies have you seen lately that you’ve liked?MW: That I liked, hmm. I heard Flightplan was pretty good. I meant to watch it today. I think I’m going to check that out tomorrow.

BG: What’s your all-time favorite movie?

MW: Probably Coming to America.

BG: What’s your biggest surprise in the NBA, on and off the court?

MW: The biggest surprise for me is how good people really are. I mean, you see it on TV, but it’s another thing to play against them. When you turn on the TV and see Kobe having 81 points. I mean, you don’t think something like that is possible. So I think that’s the biggest surprise for me. I knew guys were good coming in, but I didn’t really understand how good guys really were.

BG: What about off the court?

MW: There’s a lot of free time after practice. I’m home at 2:30 waiting for the next day to come around. So that’s pretty much it.

BG: Who do you hang out with?

MW: My roommates. Josh Childress some times. He’s kind of my best friend on the team.

BG: Do you ever think about Chapel Hill?

MW: All the time. All the time. I watch the guys play, saw them play today against Arizona, got a big win. I talk to the guys all the time.

BG: You do?

MW: Oh yeah, oh yeah. I talk to the coaches, all the coaches. I talk to the players a lot. Quentin Thomas is still my guy. We don’t go two days without talking.

BG: Really?

MW: Oh yeah. We always talk. But I still talk to everybody, so.BG: What do you miss most about college?

MW: College is a great life, especially for a young person. I had a great time, it was really fun. I would have loved to go back. But certain situations didn’t allow me to do that. I had a great time. I had a really fun time.

BG: Try not to look back?

MW: Yeah, yeah, definitely. I’m definitely excited about my future, there’s no question. I know where I’m at right now, no doubt about it.

Sunday, January 22, 2006

Below is a short synopsis of my first published book, titled "The Monk".

Although Steve “Monk” Williams has lived through the best and worst of times, his unbreakable spirit and quick wit have touched everyone who has known him. He traveled around the world and met numerous friends as a skier and coach for the U.S. Ski Team. In the process he earned two Ivy League diplomas.

Then came hardships and tragedy, one piled on top of another. He was fired as coach. Soon after, Monk was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an illness that slowly took away his job, ability to speak clearly and ability to walk. MS didn’t, however, weaken his spirit. Neither did the sudden death of his wife, nor his isolation as the youngest resident in an assisted living home.

Monk’s room is filled with photos and lingering vestiges of his past. He says cross-country skiing for the national team was the answer to his insecurities and that it proved he was “a stud.” Since moving from New England to Colorado, Monk has become a stud again— skiing, biking, rafting, and participating in a local program for handicapped people, always with a big smile. He also has an incredible knack for one-liners. He sends his family and friends, whom he calls “Monk’s Mafia,” humorous e-mail accounts of his outdoor adventures. The Monk will make readers laugh and feel inspired to make the most of their own lives.

Sunday, January 15, 2006

If there was one story I wished I had written or one book I'd bring to a deserted island, this is it. The funny thing is if I gave you a synopsis of it, you might not be that interested. However, W. Somerset Maugham makes this great story a masterpiece. The protagonist, Larry, is in search of himself, leaving luxury and social norms for a life of study and understanding. Through his time as a soldier and voracious reader and vagabond he learns the path to salvation is like a “razor's edge,” a narrow road to cross. If you're not married or don't have children, read this classic now; it'll give you a better perspective of your own life.

About Me

Through my love for travel and curiosity about interesting people and places, I have become a travel photographer and YouTuber. Since graduation I have driven across the U.S twice. I lived in Aspen for a year, where I carved tracks in fresh powder and wrote a book about a very inspirational man, “The Monk,” and then lived for many years in Chicago and New York City. During this time I became a self-taught photographer and drone pilot. I am now living in Miami, Florida, where I am working on several independent projects in Colombia and Cuba that I'll explain when the time is right. Until then, thank you for visiting my blog. I welcome any feedback or comments.